This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Clark chapter.

Thanksgiving is often thought of as a time for family, friends, and heading back to the comfort of your home for turkey and pumpkin pie. But for many who go to school far from home, it isn’t cost or time efficient to go home for only a 5-day break. If you’re “stuck” on campus for the holiday, don’t stress, there are still plenty of things to be thankful for — like many options for how to spend Thanksgiving at Clark!

Benefits of not going home for break:

No standing in lines for planes or trains!
No money spent on transportation.
No dealing with packing and unpacking suitcases.
No dealing with jet lag from the possible time difference.
A quiet campus to do whatever you want.
Clarkies are friendly, and you will likely be able to get an invite to a friend’s Thanksgiving dinner.
No wait time for escort.
No trying to catch up with dozens of relatives whose names you don’t remember.

What to do at Clark during break:

Take a long shower! The maintainers clean the restrooms right as everyone is leaving, and there’s no one waiting in line behind you to get in! (But do save water as Worcester is in a drought worse than the drought in over half of California!)
Use the gym facilities when they are open. You know you’ll have the area to yourself, so blast your music as loud as you like. This also provides an opportunity to use new equipment without others around.
Become a photographer for the day. With campus empty, it will be easy to get great shots of Clark and the surrounding area without people walking through the frame.
Make a leaf pile and jump in it. There’s no one around to judge!
Earn some money. Ask around or post in Clark Facebook groups to see if anyone needs pets taken care of. Many dorm residents have fish, and some off-campus students have cats and other small animals they can’t take home for the holiday. It gives you something to do, you get to play with a pet, and you can earn a little bit of cash.
Reorganize your dorm room. With no one in the hallways and likely no roommates, you can move your stuff onto the other side of the room or into the hallway to rearrange your furniture.
Clean your dorm room. While you’re at it, use that extra space to make piles of items you don’t need. Trash, recycling (old tests), and clothes. Many shelters and donation centers are looking for clothing donations for the upcoming winter season. And while you have items on the floor, dust your desk shelves.
Do laundry! More than one washer and dryer will be open at all times, so wash your clothes, towels, sheets, and everything else while you can.
Learn to cook. With the dorm kitchens open, use all the space to lay out your ingredients. You can even set up an iPad or computer with a speaker playing cooking videos to help guide you.
Learn to skateboard! The top level of the parking garage is very flat, and with no one on campus there will be no cars to run into. Learn a new activity someone can teach or that you can find online and teach yourself.
Have fun in the snow. On the off chance it snows this year, you will have all the fresh powder on campus to yourself for snow angels, snowmen, and snow forts.
Work on job applications, resumes, or final papers. While no one likes having to do work during break, it doesn’t hurt to make a dent in these items while you have a lot of free time. Your finals week self will appreciate the work you put in over Thanksgiving.
Back up your computer. Sometimes this can take hours, which is not ideal when you have a paper due at midnight during the school year. Leave the backup running on your computer while you cook or clean your room.
Find your new favorite spots on campus. Check out the library, ASEC, and other buildings to explore nooks and crannies you normally wouldn’t when they are filled with people.
Post on Clark’s Craigslist. If you get lonely for any activities, or if you want to organize a Thanksgiving dinner, post on one of the many Clark Facebook groups to see if other students staying behind for break want to hang out and go to Big Y together to put together a Thanksgiving potluck in the dorms.
Bing watch Netflix. Need I say more?
#OptOutside. Instead of trying to find a ride to The Blackstone Shoppes for Black Friday, sleep in and Opt Outside with REI. The company has started a movement where they close their stores for Black Friday, pay their employees to adventure with their families, and encourage customers to follow their lead by not-participating in Black Friday. While of course there are great deals the day after Thanksgiving, it often takes away from the appreciation and importance of the holiday itself. Instead of feeding money to big corporations, feed your mind and soul by spending some time in nature. Organize a carpool for a hike, lay in a leaf-pile, or just take a walk around campus and take a moment to think of all the things in this world you are thankful for. https://www.rei.com/opt-outside.

Far From Home for the Holiday: How to Have a Great Thanksgiving at Clark

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